


Where Your True Friends Lie

by hotneokitty



Series: Chasing Stars [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Book 1: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Canon Rewrite, Friendship, Good Slytherins, M/M, Slytherin, Slytherin Harry Potter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-21
Updated: 2019-11-21
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:55:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,281
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21514894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hotneokitty/pseuds/hotneokitty
Summary: Draco Malfoy, unhappy with his reverse of fortunes; home in ruins, reputation shattered, and friends abandoned.  He makes a decision to change it all. Go back and befriend Harry Potter before the world fell to pieces.In Madam Malkin's robe shop Draco doesn't mention Hogwarts houses, so harry doesn't ask Hagrid about them. Not having the biased descriptions of the houses, Harry doesn't tell that hat "not Slytherin".Harry now has to deal with the house being ostracized from with in the one being singled out. Will he fall prey to the assumptions as many have before. Or will Harry Potter help his friends prove everyone wrong.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter
Series: Chasing Stars [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1550713
Comments: 11
Kudos: 118





	1. one

Draco Malfoy held up the Time-turner, only the hourglass was unscathed. It had been the most intact one he could find, but for his purpose it would do. To save the Malfoy name, fix what his father had made unfixable, it may be impossible but he would attempt it.

Draco crushed the magical item in his hand. Ignoring the slight sting as a bit of the glass pierced his palm, he hoped that his blood was still good for something, and let it fall into the cauldron in front of him. He watched as it changed the liquid inside from a puce color to a more vibrant green; he gave it two final calculated counter clockwise stirs. Double checking his pocket for the flask of memories he had delicately picked and edited, Draco filled his goblet with a precise measurement of the emerald potion. It sparkled up at him.

Draco took one last moment to reflect on his actions. He could truly mess everything up. Were his own selfish desires really worth risking the chance of a worse outcome? No, there was no way he could mess things up so much that Harry Potter would fail. Even if Draco didn’t succeed in his self-given task, Harry Potter would still save the world. Focusing on that one absolute, Draco drank his potion.

His body began to tingle, as though time were preparing to toss him out of it entirely. He closed his eyes tightly, and focused on the precise time and place he wished to be. Turning on his heel, Draco apparated away from the home he was giving up on.

* * *

“I don't want to go alone." The small blond boy protested, looking pleadingly up at his mother.

“Now, Draco," The woman drawled, glancing around to be sure no one was witnessing her sons momentary disobedience. "You are old enough to get your robes fitted on your own. It's the same shop you've been to many times. I’ve told you already, we must gather your things quickly. Your father and I have places to be."

Draco opened his mouth to protest further, but his mother was already walking away briskly. He sighed, when his parents said they would both be going with him to get his school things he'd excitedly thought they had meant to spend the day shopping together as a family. But instead they'd immediately split up, to ‘get this done and over with quickly’ his father had said.

Dejectedly, the youngest Malfoy began walking down the crowded streets of Diagonally. He tried not to notice the family’s passing by him, shopping together. ‘I’m a Malfoy,’ Draco scolded himself. ‘I’m better than them, I don’t need my parents with me.’

Dracos’ mind went blank, no thoughts no sounds. Emotionless. It was almost pleasant. _Go into that alley._ The voice was familiar and yet not. Draco immediately obeyed the order inside his head, he found himself unable to even question it. _Don’t draw any attention just stand still, and remain silent._

  
Unable to do anything else, Draco remained still and silent as a young man (who looked remarkably like his own father) approached him, raised wand trained on Draco.

“I wish there were a less traumatic way to do this.” The man said, seemingly to himself. “There’s no other way I would believe me. But scaring the shit out of you ought to get the point across."

The man looked frantic, desperate, ‘he must be insane’, Draco thought helplessly. ‘Won’t my mother regret walking away from me when they find me murdered in a dirty alley’. The man had pulled a flask from his pocket, removing a string of liquid (memories, Draco had seen his father use a pensive in his home office) with his wand. The man pressed them to Dracos temple.

They were quick flashes, no real information was discernible, no true context. The manor in shambles; floor boards torn from their proper place, walls crumbling and bare where there should have been an ancestral painting. His father a broken, sobbing, man covered in ashen debris. Harry Potter saving him from a fiery room. The sickeningly sweet, coppery, metallic smell of burning and rotting flesh, things he had never smelled before but could not mistake for anything else. Harry Potter saving him from a faceless enemy amongst war torn battleground. Bodies of the young and old littering the ground, surrounded by the crumbling remains of a once grand monument to learning. Harry Potter lying dead in the arms of his half giant friend.

Draco was crying when it stopped. He looked at the man who he now knew was himself. The older Draco released him from his spell, the small boy fell forward and began to vomit. When he'd finished, the man conjured a glass of water for him. Draco drank it then stared up at himself. He would do anything to prevent the things he’d just seen.

“You will be meeting Harry Potter shortly.” His older self said urgently, his body seemed to be fading. “Trust him, and only him. Take off your mask, the Malfoy name means nothing to him. Blood purity is not important, that will be the hardest for you. Befriend him, earn his trust. Never betray him. Only Harry Potter will protect you, only he can save you. Nothing, but Harry Potter, matters! Tell no one of this meeting.”

Draco stared at the spot the man had disappeared from. What was he supposed to do? Where would he find Harry Potter, no one knew where Harry Potter was. Not even father. Tell no one? Who would believe him?

He stood up, trying not to think of the things he’d been forced to see. He made his way to the shop his mother had sent him to. He didn’t know what else he could do.  
As he stood on a stool in Madam Malkin’a shop being measured for his robes, he glanced over at the boy who stood next to him. He gasped in a large breath when he recognized him. The boy startled, and looked up at him. He was much younger and smaller than the version Draco had seen in the memories, but there was no mistaking him.

“Harry Potter.” Draco said. The shop witch pinning his robes flinched and looked up at the boy curiously.

“Am I really that obvious?” the boy sounded exhausted, had Draco messed up already?

“No, not at all.” Draco said hurriedly, trying to think of a reasonable way he could have known who he was, there were never any pictures of him in the books. “There’s a rumor that you'd been seen in the area, I’ve been saying your name at anyone who even vaguely matches your description.”

“Oh.” Now Potter looked a mix of confused and concerned.

‘Great, now he thinks I’m a stalker.’ Draco thought. ‘Why am I so bad at this?’

“I'm sorry. That was probably creepy.” Draco was at a loss, he wasn’t used to having to make friends, his name usually did it for him, but the older him said Potter wouldn’t care about that. Just then he caught sight of the large man he'd seen carrying future Harry Potter (he refused to think about the fact it had been a dead body).

“I think that very large man is trying to get your attention.”

“Oh, that’s Hagrid!” Potter suddenly looked quite happy. “He works at Hogwarts.”

“Oh, I think I’ve heard of him.” Realizing he was clearly important to Potter, Draco didn’t think he should repeat the things his father had said about the man. He thought mild curiosity should encourage conversation. “What’s he do there?”

“Gamekeeper,” Potter answered turning back to face him. “He does other important things for Dumbledore as well. Did you grow up a wizard?”

Draco was taken aback by the question. “Of course, didn’t you?”

Before Potter could respond, the witch attending to the boy said he was done. Harry Potter jumped down and waved at him as he left the shop.

* * *

“Draco, darling.” Pansy said to him, trying to pull his attention away from the bustling platform outside their compartment. “You have got to stop this. You hallucinated meeting The Harry Potter. You must accept it.”

“Shut up, Parkinson.“ Draco knew she was just trying to bait him, she wanted to be the one who’d met Harry Potter in a robe shop. “I'll find him, and he’ll tell you himself. There! That’s him!”

Draco rushed back out onto the platform; he was sure he’d seen him coming through the barrier.

“Harry!” he shouted over the noise of the crowd (he figured it best not to shout Potter, it might start a mob), the boy looked relieved at the sight of him and rushed forward. “You’re almost late, I thought you would miss the train.”

“I couldn’t figure out how to get here.” Potter sounded winded, he followed as Draco lead him to his train compartment. “A nice Witch helped me.”

“Oh, darling,” Pansy was hanging out of the compartment window as they approached. “You've brought me a stray puppy!”

“Send Crabbe and Goyle, Potter shouldn’t have to carry this himself.” Draco said dismissively, she popped back inside. And a few seconds later two rather large boys came out and picked up Harry’s things. Draco pointed to each of them as they settled into the compartment. “That’s Crabbe, Goyle, and the girl is Parkinson.”

“Hi,” Potter was looking a little overwhelmed. “Do any of you have first names?”

“We wouldn’t want to get to attached.” Explained Parkinson, as she flipped her long black hair over her shoulder, leaning down to peer into Potters’ owl cage. “In case we don’t get sorted into the same house. What a lovely owl. Are you really Harry Potter? I think Malfoy’s made it up. He likes to do that, you know. It’s just darling of you to go along with it.”

“Who’s Malfoy?” He looked to Draco. “Is that your name?”

Parkinson burst into a barking laughter, just as the train lurched into motion. “You didn’t even tell him your name? Did you get all starstruck? That’s precious.”

“Shut up you hippogriff.” Draco had turned beat red; he really hadn’t told Potter his name. He’d been too busy trying not mess up what the older Draco had entrusted to him. “I'm Draco Malfoy, and unlike this heartless wench, I have a first name. You are welcome to it.”

“You can use mine as well, then.” Harry smiled at him.

“Well, this is all very romantic.” Parkinson purred at them. “Now if you don’t mind, prove you’ve found The-boy-who-lived. Does he have the scar?”  
Harry lifted the fringe covering his forehead, obligingly, and the girl squealed with delight.

“I’ve got to go tell the Patils.” She said as she hugged Harry, much to the poor boys shock, then turned to Draco. “I don’t want to wonder about alone, I’m borrowing the boys, I’ll return them to you relatively unharmed. Come along boys!”

“Do they talk?” Harry asked as soon as the trio had left.

“Not often. And not around her,” Draco drawled. “They find her terrifying.”

“Oh,” Harry seemed to be thinking of what to ask next, so Draco waited, though he had lots of questions himself. “What did she mean, we'd be sorted?”

“Oh, didn’t the people who raised you tell you anything?” It was a simple enough question, it seemed someone was trying to keep vital information from this boy on purpose. “Well, Hogwarts has four houses, Slytherin's the best the others don’t matter. But don’t worry, I’ll try to be your friend no matter where you end up. As long as it’s not Gryffindor. Enough about school, we can talk plenty about that once we’re there.” Draco moved from his seat across from Harry to sit next to him, tucking his feet up under himself and grabbing Harry’s arm in a friendly gesture he’d seen Pansy use on himself. “Tell me about you. Where have you been? Why don’t you seem to know anything?”

Draco was shocked by the answers. How could the Ministry have allowed Harry Potter to be raised by muggles, let alone ones that refused to tell him what he was. After Harry had told him all about growing up as a muggle(without going into detail about his home life), he wanted Draco to tell him about growing up with magic. So Draco did, he told Harry about the adventures he would have around his manor, with the magical creatures that his family owned, with the kids his parents wanted him to associate with, or just roaming the land they owned that was so vast Draco was sure there were parts he hadn’t even seen. Sure, a lot of the more elaborate ones were entirely made up, but Harry was enthralled.

At around half past twelve they were interrupted by a witch with a food cart. Harry jumped up and bought enough to feed all the manors house elves for a week.

“Trying to compete with Crabbe and Goyle are you?” Draco said with amusement, as he waved off the witch, his mother didn’t want him eating such things and had the elves pack him a fruit salad.

“I’ve never been able to just buy things before.” Harry was startled when the little cake he’d just opened began changing colors rapidly. Draco never thought he’d need to explain a cake to someone, but he took pity on Harry and did so.

“You’re supposed to tell the wrapper what flavor you want before you open it.” Draco took the package Harry had dropped to show him the list of flavors it was charmed for on the side. “I’m not sure if it works once it’s open.”

“Do you want some?” Harry gestured to the pile at large. “I’ve never had anything to share before. Or anyone to share it with.”

“If helping you eat this mountain of garbage will help you feel complete, I suppose I must disobey my mother.” Draco gave a great show of dramatic sacrifice as he picked up a chocolate frog. He glanced at the card inside. “I don’t collect these. Do you want it?”

“What is it?” Harry took the card and looked at it curiously. “Is that really Dumbledore?”

“Of, course it is.” Draco fought the urge to roll his eyes. “They wouldn’t put his name on someone else’s face. What’s wrong?” Draco startled as Harry let out a yelp and dropped the card. Draco picked it up and looked at, unsure what had scared Harry. The image merely glanced at him as it scratched at its long crooked nose.

“It’s moving!” Harry seemed to be calming since Draco wasn’t worried about it. “It’s supposed to?”

Draco nodded, handing the card back to him. Now that he knew they were supposed to move Harry seemed hypnotized by the cards. Draco kept opening them up just to see Harry’s face light up every time he got a different one.

Harry’s attention was finally pulled away from Morgana, whose finger was impressively far up her nose, by a knock on their door. The girl on the other side didn’t wait for an answer, she just slid the door open and marched in, a small but chubby boy quivered behind her.

“I'm Hermione Granger.” She announced importantly.

“We didn’t ask.” Draco sneered at her, leaning on Harry's shoulder.

“Have either of you seen a toad?” she asked as though Draco hadn’t said anything. “Neville here’s lost one.”

“Lucky,” Draco looked around at the boy. “maybe now your parents will buy you a real pet.”

“Be nice,” Harry scolded, before speaking in a kind voice to the boy. “We haven’t seen one, sorry. But if we do, we'll try to hold onto it for you.”

“Will we?” Draco looked scandalized by the thought.

“We heard someone say Harry Potter is in this compartment.” Granger looked hopefully between them. “Is it true? Are one of you him?”

“That's me, apparently.” Harry gave a little nod.

“I know all about you,” she excitedly sat down, leaving Neville standing awkwardly in the doorway. “I got a few extra books for background reading after I got my letter. You’re in Modern Magical History and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century.”

“Am I?” Harry looked nauseous.

“Don’t you have a toad to find?” Draco interrupted before she could start again.

“Fine,” she stood. “You two had better change, we should be arriving soon.”

She stomped out; Neville followed her.

“She’s got the worst case of Ravenclaw I’ve ever seen.” Draco began as soon as the door closed.

“What’s Ravenclaw?” Harry asked him, standing up to get his robes out of his trunk.

“It’s one of the houses.” Draco explained, happy to have Harry’s full attention again as they changed their clothes. “There are four. Slytherin, the best, they know what they want and nothing will keep them from getting it. Ravenclaw, dad says they’re a bunch of know-it-alls. Hufflepuff, mom says they’re mostly push overs. And Gryffindor, bravery to the point of stupidity. But that’s just what my parents tell me."

“What if you don’t fit in any of those?” Harry seemed truly worried about it. “Will they just send me back to the Dursleys?”

“Don’t worry so much.” Draco placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “That’s never happened. Besides, father told me how they do it. They put this hat on you, and it looks inside your head, and knows exactly where you belong.”

“I’m not sure that makes me feel better.”

“Maybe you can just tell it to put you in Slytherin.” Draco suggested. “That way you’ll definitely be with me.”

* * *

Draco couldn’t fathom why anyone would want to take a boat across a creepy lake at such a late hour. His father had told him there were lots of dangerous things hiding beneath its surface, it seemed rather irresponsible to ferry a group of first years across it, with only one adult. He kept very close to Harry, Draco wasn’t sure why, but the closer he was to the other boy the safer he felt. Harry didn’t seem to mind that Draco would clutch at him every time he caught a glimpse of something moving beneath murky waters.

Then they were herded, like cattle, into a small alcove and told to wait. Draco grabbed hold of Harry’s hand when the ghosts came through the wall and forgot to let go until his name had been called to put on the hat.

Harry looked ridiculously nervous when his own turn came, Draco noticed as he watched from the Slytherin’s table. Was the hat taking too long? 

Finally, it shouted “Slytherin!” 

“See!” Draco grabbed Harry’s arm as soon as he was close enough, shoving him onto the seat directly to his right. “I told you, you’d do fine.”

“Do the teachers look worried about something?” Harry whispered. Draco, whom had draped himself over Harry in a possessive show to the other Slytherin’s, looked up at the head table, McGonagall and Dumbledore did seem to be exchanging a strange look as the next first year made his way forward. “Did I do something wrong?”

“Probably just jealous that you’re not in their old house.”

As the last person was sorted, another Slytherin, the headmaster rose to his feet. He looked over all the students, his arms spread as if to hug them.

“Welcome, to a new year a Hogwarts!” he said jovially. “Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you.”

“Is he crazy?” Harry asked Draco, once every one stopped clapping. “Or, did that mean something?”

“Father says Dumbledore’s a bit of a nutter.” Draco responded, he began piling food on his and Harry’s plates. “Likes to say odd things just to get a reaction.”

“The food just appears?” Harry looked in awe at the suddenly overflowing dishes. “Of course it does.”

“Harry, darling!" Pansy called to Harry from across the table. “May I call you Harry? Feel free to call me Pansy, now that we're family.” Harry nodded, carefully chewing the bit of steak Draco had stuffed into his mouth. “Brilliant!” she clapped enthusiastically, before picking up her fork. “Now, where have you been? No one knows anything about your whereabouts.”

“They kept him hidden in a small, but luxurious, cabin in an undisclosed location.” Draco spoke before Harry had a chance. “To keep him safe from hyenas like you and your Aunt."

“So he is a stray puppy." Pansy was far too thrilled. “Doesn't know anything of the world. It does explain those rags he was wearing on the train."

“What was wrong with my clothes?” Harry asked.

“So many things.” Draco drawled, before somehow managing to turn even paler. He’d just realized that one of the ghosts was sitting to his left. The ghost appeared to be covered in ghostly blood.

“Are you alright?” Harry asked him, as Draco had suddenly moved closer. So close he was basically in the other boys lap. “Do you want to trade seats?”

The ghost turned to look at them, eyes blank, then slowly sank down through the floor and out of sight.

“Did you hear about the Gringotts break in?” the dark-skinned boy next to Pansy, Blaise Zabini, asked Draco. “My mom’s been freaking out about it. Adding extra wards to the house.”

“Is that even possible?” Pansy looked thrilled to find an even bigger scoop then Harry Potter. “What was taken?”

“That’s the weirdest part.” Blaise leaned in suspensefuly. “Nothing.”

“Nothing?“ Pansy glared at him, he nodded. “You’re full of it. No one’s broken into Gringotts. If they had, my Aunt Rita would have known all about it.”

“Harry, what’s the matter?” Draco asked in a low voice, as Harry had just jerked forward and was rubbing his forehead. “Do you feel sick?”

“I'm fine.” It sounded like a lie. “Do you know who that man talking to professor Quirrell is?”

“Whose professor Quirrell?” 

“The man in the turban.” Harry indicated the head table.

“Oh, that’s Snape.” Draco was pleased to know the answer. “He teaches potions, and is our head of house. He's also my godfather, he and my mother are good friends.”

“I don’t think he likes me.”

“He’s never even met you.” What could have given Harry that impression without talking to the man. “He’s rather stern, but most teachers are, aren’t they? Besides, he’ll favor us. We’re Slytherins.”

Soon the feast was over and two older students, prefects, lead the Slytherin first years off to the side while everyone else filed out of the great hall.

“Listen up neolates.” Said the tall dark-haired girl. “I’m Amalthea Weir and he is Noah Weir. We’re your prefects. Any questions you have we are here to answer them.”

“No fighting or bullying will be tolerated within our house.” Continued Noah. “We are a family, and will behave as such. Now follow closely we don’t want anyone getting lost.”

They were being led lower into the castle. Draco was rather amused by Harry’s reaction to the paintings moving in and out of each other’s frames. By the time they stopped beside a blank brick wall Draco was certain that they were near the earths core.

“Do you think they’ve gotten us lost?” Harry whispered over his shoulder.

“Everyone close enough to hear?” Noah stood with his back to the wall. “The password will remain the same all year, unless we have reason to think it has been given out. Do not be the one to betray your family!”

“If you have trouble finding the door,” Amalthea squatted down to point at a tiny mark near the floor. “There is a little snake engraved on this brick.”

“Ceylon krait.” They spoke together. A section of the wall moved away, revealing a short path.

The path opened to a dimly lit room full of dark green and grey, gothic styled, furniture, and green tinted lighting. The large floor to ceiling windows provided a view from deep within the lake. It appeared that the Slytherin common room was entirely under the lake.

“Boys, follow me.” Noah instructed as he turned down a staircase to the left, his sister leading the girls to the right. He passed three doors before he stopped at one that read ‘First years’. “This will be your room for the next seven years. If you need me, for any reason, I’m in the fifth year dorms. Goodnight.”

And with that, he left them.

“Harry take the one by the window.” Draco said the second they’d all entered the room. It was furnished in the same style as the common room had been. Six generously sized four poster beds were neatly spaced out. “I’ll take the one next to it.”

“Why do you get to order people around?” Blaise challenged immediately, Vincent and Greg merely started moving Draco and Harry’s things from the center of the room to the beds indicated. “What if Potter doesn’t want that bed?”

“I don’t mind.” Harry picked up his empty owl cage. “Where’s Hedwig?”

“Is that your owls name?” Draco was pulling the curtains back on the bed he had claimed. “They probably sent her to the owlery. You should see her at breakfast.”

“There you are.” Nott said as he opened a small carrier that sat beside his trunk and pulled out a small black furball.

“He’s so cute.” Harry moved closed to see the tiny kitten.

“Theodore Nott.” The boy introduced himself to Harry, letting him pet the cat. “This is Shinigami, it’s his first time away from his mommy.”

Harry turned back toward his bed and froze. “What is that?”

“What?” Draco looked around in alarm, expecting to see something outside in the lake. He turned back to realize Harry was staring at his nightclothes. “Why? What’s wrong with it?”

“It’s a dress.” Harry looked like it was taking some effort not to laugh. Draco was holding up a long, emerald green, satin night gown. “Is that what you sleep in?”

“What do you sleep in?” Draco held the cloth to his chest protectively. 

“T-shirt and shorts.” Harry answered.

“Draco, just be glad he wears anything.” Blaze called from the open bathroom door. “He did grow up in the wilderness.”

* * *

  
He ran as fast as he could through the field of bodies. He had to find him, he just had to. He couldn’t fail, he didn’t know what he was supposed to do, but he couldn’t fail. The faces were familiar, his friends, family, the nameless peers he hadn’t spoken to but had seen at the welcoming feast. They were all dead. But one face was missing, the most important one. Suddenly, he was there.

Harry Potter looked down at Draco. He was so much older than the boy he had been eating with mere hours ago. Harry’s face was blank, expressionless.

“Why?” was all Harry said before he crumpled to the ground.

* * *

Draco screamed and shot up in bed.

“Draco?” Harry’s head popped through the curtains, Draco pounced on him and pulled him onto the bed. Burying his face in the other boys ridiculously large shirt, Draco muffled a sob. “Are you alright?”

“Nightmare.” He murmured against Harry’s chest. “Will you stay here?”

“If you want me to.” They rearranged themselves so Harry could get under the blankets.

“Sorry I woke you.”

“Don’t be,” Harry sighed, rubbing a hand soothingly over the silky material covering Draco’s back. “I was dreaming I was wearing Professor Quirrell’s turban and it was talking to me. I’m quite grateful to be pulled away from that.”

“What did it say?”

“It was telling me I could be greater than him.” Harry scrunched up his face as he tried to remember. “I couldn’t get it off. And Snape was laughing at me.”

“Greater than who?” Draco was already drifting back to sleep. “Quirrell?”

“I’ve no idea.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who don't know and would rather not bother with googling;  
> neolates-baby snakes  
> Ceylon Krait- a really pretty snake that should probably be avoided, as it is venomous.


	2. Two

  
“That’s him, there!”

“Next to the blonde kid.”

“Did you see the scar?”

“He was put in Slytherin?”

“I thought he was supposed to be a hero.”

“They say he offed You-Know-Who so he wouldn’t have any competition.”

Draco really wished people would stop whispering about Harry. I was clearly upsetting him, and it was horribly distracting when they were trying to find their way around. It was hard enough trying to figure out which stairs to take when they changed location on different days, without some random Ravenclaw popping out of a tapestry to get a look at Harry Potter before running off giggling.

“Why won’t they leave me alone?” Harry said, completely exasperated by Friday, as he tugged at the handle of a door that he was sure had opened the day before. “Haven’t they anything better to do? And what’s wrong with being a Slytherin?”

“A lot of people assume everyone in Slytherin is bad because it was You-Know-Who’s house.” Draco tried tickling the door. “Maybe I should flirt with it, Blaise says he got a door to open that way.”

“Voldemort was in Slytherin?” Harry sounded distressed by this, as a cat dashed past him and disappeared behind a statue.

“So were a lot of his followers, apparently.” Draco was now just leaning against the door. “But of course they were. That’s where all his friends would have been. People seem to forget that there were plenty of Deatheaters in the other houses as well.”

“Deatheaters?” Harry asked, not looking to reassured.

“It’s what they called themselves.” Draco rubbed a hand over the door as if trying to sooth it. “How do you flirt with a door? Should I complement its nob?”

Before Harry could respond to that ridiculous sentence, Draco lurched forward to cling to him. The Bloody Barron had just casually floated through the door and Draco. The ghost just continued on his way as though he hadn’t just nearly made a student wet himself.

“Students out of bounds!” The caretaker, Filch, shouted from behind them. He had seemingly been lead there by the cat they’d seen a moment ago.

“No we’re not.” Responded Harry rather sure they weren’t. “We are lost though, could you help us?”

“Lost!” Filch shouted again, looking disgustingly gleeful. “Lost you say. Ha! You were trying to get to the out of bounds corridor. You expect me to believe it was an accident! I’ll have you hanging in the dungeon!”

“No thank you.” Harry took a step back, Draco still clinging to him. “But that is where we were trying to go. So, if you could point us in the right direction?”

“M-mr.Filch?” They were relieved to see Professor Quirrell come along. “N-n-n-now I’ll t-t-take care of th-them. Come a-al-along boys.”

“We really didn’t know where we were.” Harry explained, rubbing at his scar, as he and Draco were ushered along. Quirrell nodded in understanding. “We were trying to get to potions class.”

“We went down four stair cases after leaving the bathroom outside the great hall.” Draco was still shaky from his ghostly encounter and was gripping Harry’s wrist tightly. “But we seem to have gone up.”

“The c-c-castle does l-l-like its tricks.” Quirrell chuckled, as he led them to the hall outside the potions classroom. He left them there with a wave.

“Lucky we’re not late.” Draco relaxed as they approached the group lined up by the door. “Now, do you remember what we studied last night?”

“Do you really think Snape will expect us to know anything already?” Harry asked. Draco was sure Snape would expect them to already know the absolute basics, and had run a little study session with all the Slytherins in their year the night before. “None of the other teachers did.”

“Trust me.” Draco insisted. “We need to make a good example of our house, make him proud.”

“Hi, I’m Ron Weasley” A red-haired boy approached them, looking rather cautious. “My mother helped you get on the platform for the train. You’re really Harry Potter? How did you get put in Slytherin?”

“He was sorted the same way everyone else was.” Draco responded for him, the other Slytherin first years were gathering around them in a defensive manor. Crabbe and Goyle moving between Harry and the Gryffindor boy like bodyguards. “You watched it happen.” 

“What’s it matter to anyone else what house he’s in?” Pansy demanded. She had draped herself over the side of Harry that Draco wasn’t already occupying.

“Well, it’s just that, you're a hero.” Weasley kind of glanced around, the other Gryffindors seemed to be listening in, but were staying out of it. “And well, that’s the evil house, isn’t it? They’re all so mean.”

“Actually,” Harry reached forward, placing a hand on Crabbe’s shoulder silently telling him and Goyle to stand down. The two large boys relaxed their stance. “They’re the only ones who’ve been nice to me. Everyone else has just whispered about me or starred, until you. But you’ve just come to accuse me of being evil, haven’t you? With absolutely no evidence or reason. And this is the first time you’ve spoken to any of us, and yet you accuse the whole house.”

“So,” Blaise said from behind Harry. “Who’s the one being mean?”

“Ahem!” at the sound of the Professor clearing is throat everyone turned to see the classroom door had opened, and Professor Snape was standing in the doorway looking at them all. “If Potter is quite done showing off, it is time to begin class.”

He turned on his heal, and went back into the room. The students filed in after him.

After calling everyone’s name to ensure the presents of each student, and Snape’s introduction to Potions speech, his eyes zeroed in on Harry.

“Potter,” Snape snapped at him. “What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

“Umm,” Harry tried to ignore Hermione Granger, the girl who he and Draco had met on the train, who's hand had shot up on the other side of the room. ”A sleeping potion, sir. I believe it's called Draught of Living Death."

“Very well," Snape looked taken aback. “Where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

“Your cupboards, I’m sure.” Draco murmured, as Hermione shot her hand up again. Snape’s eyes remained locked on Harry.

“Oh, um, a goat’s stomach." Harry stammered, relaxing slightly as both Draco and Pansy had grabbed one of his hands under the desk.

“What is its use?"

“As a cure for poison."

“Accurate." Snape was beginning to look impressed. “What is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

The girl was now standing, waving her hand around.

“They’re the same thing, aren’t they?” Harry smiled, very grateful for Draco, the other boy had to explain this one to him twice. “It’s a plant. It’s also known as aconite, and quite I few other names I can't remember at the moment. And you shouldn’t touch it without protective gloves."

“Impressive, Potter.” Snape seemed a little reluctant to say it. “Four points to Slytherin for your surprising competence."

Next, they were told to split into pairs and instructed to brew a potion to cure boils. As Snape was explaining to the class that Draco and Harry had managed to brew their slugs perfectly, he was interrupted by a loud hissing noise. Potion was spreading across the floor, burning shoes as it went. Draco let out a small squeak as Harry lifted him and set him on the desk. Apparently, one of the Gryffindors, Neville Longbottom, had melted Weasley’s cauldron.

While the Gryffindors continued to get scolded for not helping out their fellow classmates, the Slytherin’s kept gaining points. It truly had been a great idea to study the night before.

* * *

  
“Are we going to visit Hagrid?” Draco asked as they exited the classroom with the rest of the students.

“You don’t have to go with me.” Harry sounded surprised that Draco had said ‘we'.

“Of course, I’m not letting my friend wonder around the grounds alone.” Draco rolled his eyes at him.

“Friend.” Harry muttered as though it were the most confusing word he’d ever heard.

“Do you not want to be my friend?” Draco demanded. “Well bad luck. You’re already stuck with me.”

“No, I just,” Harry grabbed Draco’s arm. “No ones ever referred to me as a friend before. It surprised me.”

“Well, no ones ever been worthy of your friendship before.” Draco said, before calling over his shoulder. “Crabbe, Goyle, you’re coming with us.”

They made their way to the small cabin on the edge of the forest. Harry knocked, triggering a booming bark from inside. Draco darted behind Harry. A big furry face appeared in the door as it cracked open.

“Harry! Glad ya made it.”

“I brought some friends.” Harry said excitedly as Hagrid let them in and a large dog jumped on Crabbe. Harry pointed to each of them. “That’s Crabbe and Goyle. And the guy hiding behind me is Draco.”

“I’m not hiding.” Draco protested, stepping out from behind Harry, he glanced around the single roomed dwelling. “Your home is…cozy.”

“I’m glad ter see yer getting along.” Hagrid moved about making them tea as he spoke. “I was surprised ta see ya put in Slytherin, but ya’ve made friends alright. And Fang seems ta like ‘em.”

Draco turned to see Crabbe and Goyle were practically rolling around on the floor with the dog. They sat with Hagrid for quite a while, talking about classes, and getting lost trying to find them. Harry and Draco discretely passed their rock cakes to Crabbe and Goyle, who seemed to love the hard pastries.

When they told Hagrid about Filch’s disbelief about them being lost the he called him an ‘old git’ and insisted the man had his cat follow Hagrid every time he went up to the school.

“And there’s this Gryffindor, Ron Weasley,” Harry was telling him enthusiastically. “He came up to us and started saying all Slytherins are evil and mean. We didn’t even do anything to provoke it, we were just talking.”

“Yer lot do tend ter look a little threatenin’.” Hagrid said carefully. “travelin’ in packs the way ya do. Weasley, did ya say. I liked his brother, Charlie, works with dragons now I hear.”

“Father says traveling in numbers is the only way for Slytherins to be safe.” Draco defended the habit. “All the other houses will be friendly with each other, but just hate us on principle.”

“Its like what the muggles used to do.” Harry added. “With people of a different color or religious beliefs. It was terrible.”

“Yer got a fair point there.” Hagrid nodded solemnly.

“What’d they’d do?” Draco asked Harry curiously.

“You don’t want to know.” Harry picked up a newspaper clipping he’d spotted under his teacup. “That was on my birthday.”

“What?” Draco asked, looking at Harry as Hagrid snatched the clipping away.

“Remember the day we met?” Harry said to Draco, setting his cup back down. “It was on my birthday, it’s the same day Gringotts was broken into.”

“That was your birthday?”

“Well look at the time.” Hagrid stood up. “Best you lot be heading back, gettin’ dark ya know.”

“Well,” said Draco as they headed back up the castle. “That was rather nice. Until the suspicious part at the end.”

  
“Hagrid emptied a vault that day.” Harry said to him, his voice full of excited curiosity. “He wouldn’t tell me what it was. Just that it was very important and Dumbledore wanted him to pick it up for him.” 

“You couldn’t see it?” Draco asked, not entirely sure why Harry cared.

“It was wrapped up.” Harry shook his head, disappointment evident on his face. “But it was small. I could’ve fit it in my hand. About the size of a satsuma.”

“Could anything that small be important?”

“I have a little toy soldier,” Harry argued. “It’s much smaller than the package was, but it’s very important to me. It’s the only toy I've ever had.”

“That’s depressing.” Draco couldn’t understand not having toys. His parents always bought him just about anything he asked for. “You tell very depressing stories.”


	3. Three

Harry and Draco entered the common room and immediately went to the couches by the big window where the other first years were gathered with their school work. Crabbe and Goyle following soundlessly.

“There you are.” Pansy jumped up to hug each of them. “We just got back from the library. Theo wanted to check out some books.”

“That Weasley kid is a real ass.” Daphne said, making room for Blaise to sit next to her so Harry and Draco could take up his spot on the widow sill. “He was there, making fun of his own housemates.”

“He was picking on that bushy haired girl with the big teeth.” Theo added. “The one who kept trying to steal your spot light during potions.”

“I kinda wish she had.” Harry muttered accepting the quill Draco was handing him. “If it weren’t for Draco, I wouldn’t have been able to answer any of those questions. Why did professor Snape zero in on me like that? Do you think he wanted me to mess up?”

“I think he just wanted to give Slytherin a chance to show off in front of the Gryffindors.” Tracy theorized.

“Then why not Draco?” Harry said. “Surely Snape would know Draco was more likely to know that stuff already. And he loves to show off.”

“That’s true, I really do. But he couldn’t be seen favoring me like that.” Draco insisted, and handed Harry a smallish green book. “Now, memorize this. We're trying out for the team tomorrow.”

“Quidditch Through the Ages. What’s Quidditch?” Everyone gasped and stared at Harry as he looked at the cover of the book he’d been handed.

“Only the best game to ever exist!” Blaise insisted. “How can you not know about it.”

“I told you, he was raised in an isolated cabin.” Draco insisted. “Clearly they wouldn’t tell him about all the fun stuff, because he would try to escape.”

“Wait, is this played on brooms?” Harry looked thrilled as he flipped through the book. “Why do you keep telling them I was locked in cabin?”

“Because, Harry, talking about your trauma is the best way to heal.” Draco spoke in a ridiculously serious voice and wrapped his arms around Harry’s shoulders. “And you’re fellow Slytherin’s are here for you. Fall on us, and we will catch you.”

“What?” Harry stared at him.

“Ha.” Pansy laughed. “Don’t fall on Draco. He’ll snap like twig. Aim for Vincent or Greg, or even Millie. They’re sturdy.”

Crabbe and Goyle grunted in agreement, and Millicent saluted him for some reason.

“Anyway,” Harry turned back to Draco. “I've never been on a broom before, I’m not trying out for a game that’s played on them.”

“Our first flying class isn’t till next week.” Tracy informed. “I bet they set that up on purpose.”

“It doesn’t matter anyway.” Daphne interjected. “They never let first years on the teams.”

“They might if-" Theo was interrupted by Draco’s high-pitched scream as the blonde boy flew out of his seat. A giant squid had decided to press itself against the window right behind where they had been sitting.

“That’s so cool!” Said Harry in awe, as the rest of the first years had scurried farther from the window he moved forward to get a better look.

“Jumpy first years.” Muttered an older student who'd been walking by.

* * *

  
“I can't believe I let you talk me into this.” Harry muttered as he and Draco stood lined up on the quidditch pitch with all the other Slytherin’s trying out for the team. “I’m about to break every bone in my body. Aren’t I?”

“You'll be fine.” Draco insisted, rolling his eyes at his friend. “No ones gotten hurt yet.”

“That is a lie, and you know it.” Harry huddled closer to Draco as the next group lifted into the air. There had been an incident with a bludger and a third years groin earlier. “I don’t think that guys gunna be able to have kids. Not to mention, that has got to be the most awkward trip to the hospital wing ever.”

“I think a mediwitch looking at his junk is the least of his worries at the moment.” Draco drawled.

“What position you trying out for?” The Quidditch captain, Marcus Flint asked as he approached Harry and Draco and handing them each one of the schools’ brooms.

“All of them.” Draco stood up straighter and held out a small note for Flint. “I’m Draco Malfoy. My father is willing to make a very generous donation. Only if I’m on the team, of course.”

Flint looked a little greedily at the note as he read it. “Alright, we’ll see what happens. Let’s try you on chaser first. Scar boy you try seeker.”

“You have to catch the tiny gold ball.” Draco whispered to Harry as Flint went to the next student in line.

“I don’t even know how to fly.” Harry argued with him. “And did you just bribe him?”

“No, I gave him an incentive to give a couple of first years an actual chance.” Draco rolled his eyes. “Father is offering to buy brooms for the team, he will make that donation to the school not Marcus himself. As for how to fly just watch me do it, then copy me.”

Draco mounted the broom and waited for Harry to do the same, when he pushed off the ground, he turned to watch Harry come up behind him. “See you’re fine!” Draco yelled over the wind as they moved up towards the other waiting students.

“This is awesome!” Harry yelled back at him.

* * *

  
Draco couldn’t believe Harry had never flown before. And neither could anyone else who had been watching the Slytherin tryouts. After Harry managed to catch the snitch twelve times in a row, Marcus named him seeker without anyone else even trying out for the position.

Draco hadn’t done to bad either. Marcus had been impressed by his blocking and while he hadn’t been the best at it, he was good enough that no one questioned when Flint named him Keeper.

“You have to have flown before, puppy.” Pansy was insisting as they ate lunch. Draco had just spent several hours telling anyone who would listen how great Harry was and how Draco himself had discovered Harry’s true talent. “There’s no way you could be that good your first time.”

“That’s what she said.” Blaise winked at her, Pansy snapped her fingers and Millie punched Blaise in the arm. The boy cried out in pain and moved farther down the table.

“I bet you’ll both look stunning in the team uniforms.” Pansy gushed. Suddenly she pointed up at a large owl that was flying toward them. “Isn’t that Ulysses? What’s he doing here?”

“He’s running very late is what he’s doing.” Draco complained to the owl as it landed in front of him with a rather fancy shoebox and a letter. Draco handed the box to Harry. “These are for you.”

“What? Why?” Harry look confused at the brand new shoes.

“Yours are half melted from yesterday.” Draco shrugged, looking over his letter. “Please don’t depress me with a story of how no ones ever given you a gift before, and just accept them.”

“I’ve been given a gift before!” Harry protested; Draco looked at him disbelievingly. “A neighbor, nice little old lady, gave me a little soldier toy once. And Hagrid bought me Hedwig on my birthday.”

“Depressing. Well, get used to getting things.” Draco set down his letter and grabbed Harry’s hand, pulling him to his feet as he got up himself. “Father says he’s just sent the donation for the quidditch team. They should be in the common room, and I want to be the first to try them out.”

The Slytherin quidditch team spent the rest of the weekend breaking in their Nimbus 2000’s.

* * *

  
“We shouldn’t have to go to flying lessons.” Draco complained loudly as the Slytherin first years made their way outside. “You and I already have quidditch practice thrice a week. That should get us exempt.”

“But then we would be denied the privilege of listening to you gripe.” Blaise jostled he shoulder roughly. “You can’t skip out on a class just because you claim to already be an expert.”

“We still might learn something useful, Draco.” Harry draped an arm over Draco’s shoulder. “At the very least we can show off the those smug Gryffindors’.”

“That does sound appealing.” Draco relented.

The lesson progressed well enough, other then Draco getting upset when Madame Hooch told him he and Harry were holding their brooms wrong. “It isn’t wrong,” Draco had whispered to Harry when the teacher had moved on. “It an older way of doing it, my father taught me. It’s just as good.” Draco’s mood improved greatly when Weasley managed to hit himself in the face with his own broom.

The class was cut short when Neville Longbottom lost control of his broom and shot off like a rocket only to then lose his grip and jettison back to the ground. Madame Hooch rushed the boy off to the hospital wing, telling them all to remain where they were until she returned.

“What’s this?” Harry picked up what looked like a large glass marble full of white smoke. “I think Longbottom dropped it.”

“It’s a Remembrall.” Draco looked over Harry’s shoulder, curiously taking it from his hand. The smoke inside turned red, Draco looked as though it had insulted him, and handed it back to Harry. “That means I’ve apparently forgotten something.”

“It doesn’t tell you what you forgot?” Harry turned it in his hand. “How’s that useful?”

“Potter’s stolen Neville’s Remembrall!” Weasley shouted at them. The Gryffindor first years all turned to look.

“I did not.” Harry protested. “All I did was pick it up.”

“A convenient story, Potter.” Weasley glanced around, as if making sure his house mates were backing him up this time. They were. “How do we know you didn’t pickpocket him?”

“Why would anyone stick their hand in that boys filthy pocket.” Theo interjected.

“Shut up, Knott!” Parvati Patil snapped at him.

“You turned tail awful quick.” Pansy sneered at her. “Got sorted into Gryffindor and ditched all your old friends. Bet you don’t even speak to your sister anymore.”

“Stop fighting or we’ll all get in trouble.” Granger was the single voice of reason.

“Stay out of it, goody Granger!” Weasley yelled at her.

“Can’t even be nice to your own housemates, can you?” Malfoy said, just before a fist hit his face.

And with that, the Slytherin’s pounced.

Fists were flying, as Harry tackled Weasley to the ground. The air was filled with the sounds of an all-out brawl.

“Teacher!” A voice, probably Granger, shouted in warning. Everyone stopped fighting and quickly split back into their two groups; Gryffindor’s scowling at the snarling Slytherins. Crabbe and Goyle helped Harry to his feet.

“What is the meaning of this!” Madame Hooch had returned, she looked livid. “Who started it? I want answers, now!”

Everyone began talking at once. The Slytherins were saying the red-headed Weasley had started it, while all the Gryffindor’s were saying it was the Slytherin’s in general. Finally, Harry came forward.

“I’m sorry mam.” He said, staring at the ground. “It was mostly my fault. Please don’t punish the other Slytherin’s. They were just defending me.”

“Shut up!” Draco rushed to his side; his lip was bleeding. “It wasn’t Harry’s fault! Weasley accused him of stealing, and threw the first punch!”

“Enough!” Hooch interrupted before Weasley, trying to stop the blood pouring from his nose with his sleeve, could argue this. “Now return to your dorms.” There was a general mummering as everyone put their brooms away, a started heading back to the castle. “Except for you three.” She pointed at Harry, Draco, and Weasley. “Come with me.”

Draco tripped as he turned toward her, Harry caught him. “Your shoes untied.” Harry pointed out, bending down to tie it for him. “You suppose that’s what you forgot?”

* * *

  
Madame Hooch lead them to the hospital wing, telling them to wait there while she fetched their Heads of House.

“Are you alright?” Harry asked as he grabbed a tissue from a nearby table and pressed it to the cut on Draco’s lip.

“I only got hit once. What about you?” Draco moved closer, looking at the bruise forming under Harry’s left eye. “Your face is all purple.”

“You two aren’t gunna start making out, are you?” Weasleys voice was muffled. He was still holding his sleeve over his nose.

“Of course, you wouldn’t recognize friendly concern.” Draco’s halted in his movement toward the red-haired boy when the Medi-witch entered the room.

“Boys! All ways fighting!” Madame Pomfrey looked at them sternly as she assessed each of them. She pointed her wand at Draco’s lip and the small cut there disappeared, she conjured an ice pack and handed it to Harry. As the woman turned to Weasley she tutted and pulled his arm away from his face. “Well, that’s broken. This will hurt.”

Pomfrey twirled her wand a bit before taping the boys nose with it and muttering a word. There was a loud cracking nose, and Weasley yelped.

Professors Snape and McGonagall entered the room just as the medi-witch was finishing up.

“I will not tolerate fighting from my students, mister Weasley.” McGonagall began lecturing Weasley as she drew near. “Explain yourself.”

“Potter stole Neville’s Remembrall.” He accused. “I was simply trying to get it back.”

“Very well.” McGonagall said. “That does not excuse fighting. I will be taking twenty points from both houses, and assigning each of you detention. As for the thievery-.”

“Wait.” Professor Snape interrupted her, he turned to face Harry and Draco. “We haven’t heard their side. Potter did you steal the item in question?”

“No sir.” Harry looked his head of house in the eye as he explained. “I do have it though." Harry handed it to Professor McGonagall. "Neville Longbottom had an accident during class, he must’ve dropped it then. While the teacher was taking care of him, I spotted it on the ground and simply picked it up. I was just looking to see what it was, when Weasley accused me of stealing it. Then the rest of the Gryffindor’s just started insulting us and one of their own, and then Weasley hit Draco. I, as well as the rest of us Slytherin’s, was merely protecting my friend.”

“Mr. Malfoy?” Snape looked to the other boy.

“It happened exactly as Harry said sir.” Draco nodded.

“If you assure me it won’t happen again, I will reduce it to only five points removed.”

“I can’t do that, sir.” Harry looked at him defiantly. “I can promise not to start a fight, and it wasn’t me who started this one. But I don’t like bullies, and won’t let them mess with my friends. Or anyone else.”

Professor Snape looked a little taken aback, while McGonagall looked quite pleased. “Very well,” Snape said. “In light of the facts, only five points will be taken from Slytherin. And the two of you will not have detention.”

“I quite agree, Severus.” McGonagall approved. “It will still be twenty points from Gryffindor, and a detention for Mr. Weasley.”

“That’s not fair!” Weasley complained.

“Perhaps, Mr. Weasley,” McGonagall turned to look at the redhead sternly. “You will think before starting useless fights.”

**Author's Note:**

> For those who don't know and would rather not bother with googling;  
> neolates-baby snakes  
> Ceylon Krait- a really pretty snake that should probably be avoided, as it is venomous.


End file.
